Carpet or the like shampooing apparatus



April 6, 1965 w, J. McDoNALD ETAL 3,176,339

CARPET OR THE LIKE SHAMPOOING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 20, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet l April 6, 1965 w. J. MCDoNALD ETAL 3,175,339

CARPET OR THE LIKE SHAMPOOING APPARATUS.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 20

April 6, 1965 w. J. MCDONALD ETAL 3,176,339

4 CARPET 0R THE LIKE SHAMEOOING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 20, 1963 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 f extend alongside the roller.

g United States Patent @ffice 3,176,339 Patented Apr. 6, 1965 The present invention concerns an appliance for shampooing carpets or the like of the type (hereinafter referred to as of the type set forth) wherein a foam-forming :liquid detergent or like cleaning liquid is applied to the carpet. l

f In known appliances of the type set forth the liquid detergent is discharged from a tank directly onto a roller having a resilient surface (e.g. of a spongy material) the roller being mounted between a pair of brushes which The appliance is supported on the roller with the result that the spongy roller is deformed. As the appliance is moved to and fro the portion of the roller which is deformed is continuously changing and the liquid detergent in the sponge material is thereby agitated and converted to a foam on or immevdiately adjacent the carpet with the risk and actual result in many cases that the liquid soaks into the carpet with consequent ill effects. It must be noted that such appliances are used mainly in unskilled manner eg. by housewives. The foarned detergent is distributed on the carpet by the roller. The brushes scrub the foamed detergent (already produced and distributed over the carpet by the roller) into the pile of the carpet.

In contradistinction to the known appliance this inven-tion provides that the detergent or the like is directed vof bristles substantially uniformly over the length of the brush and it is also preferred that the detergent is introduced to the bristles near the roots thereof where they are attached to a bristle-carrying member or brush stock.

An appliance for shampooing carpets will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings whereof:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the appliance,

FIG. 2 is a sectional View of the lower part of the appliance of FIG. l and to a larger size,

FIG. 3 is a part sectional View on the line III-III of FIG. 2, v

FIG. 4 is a section on the line yIV---IV of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a section on the line V-V of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 6 is a section of the handle fitted to the appliance of FIG. 1 and to a larger size.

Referring to FIG. l; the appliance comprises a tank 1) for liquid detergent, a detergent-applying unit 11 and a tubular handle 12 secured to the. tank as later described.

Th/unit 11 comprises a roller 13, a pair of brushes 14 (each of which extends alongside the roller 13) a liquid guide means the form of a cover plate member 15 to overlie the roller and a duct 16 which extends along the I roller 13 and which receives the detergent delivered from the tank. The appliance is moved to and fro across the surface of a carpet to be cleaned, the housewife or operator pushing and pulling on handle 12 to this end. The

agitate and thus foam the liquid detergent discharged into the bristles as hereinafter described.

The unit 11 comprises a hollow body member 17 of such flexible material that the ends 1S thereof may be deformed and separated slightly. The roller 13 and brushes 14 extend substantially between the ends 18 (see FIG. 3). The roller is rotatably mounted in a chassis frame 19 as later more fully explained. Each of the brushes 14 comprises a row of bristles carried by a brush stock or rib 2) which constitutes a long member of frame 19. The ends of ribs 20 are secured to cross members 21 and constitute therewith the yframe 19.

The cover plate 15 is of inverted U-outline in crossseotion (FIG. 2) and overlies roller 13, the plate 15 extending between the ends 18 of unit 11 and being centrally beneath duct 16. Plate 15 has integral end walls 22 which are removably attached to the cross members 21 (as later described in detail) so that the plate is carried by chassis frame 19.

The plate 15 has an upwardly-directed, central rib 63 which extends lengthwise of the plate and is immediately beneath duct 16. The long edges of plate 15 are outwardly ilared (at 23, FIG. 2) and are presented to the bristles substantially at right angles to the bristles. The ared edges 23 touch tbe bristles in the region of the bristle roots immediately beneath ribs 2li.

Tank 1l) has a bottom 24 the underface of which carries duct 16. Bottom 24 has an integral tubular socket 25 which passes through bottom 24. Socket 25 receives the lower end of tubular handle 12, the handle being secured therein by as crew 26. The socket 25 has a diaphragm which is formed with a valve seat 2S to receive a valve 2i?. The latter is mounted on a wire 30 which extends through the handle, the lower end of wire 3l) having a head 31 to engage a washer 32 which abuts valve y 21. A cup member 33 abuts the -upper end of valve 29. A spring 34 is received within member 33 toextend between the cup and a disc 35 that is held axially in prosition by a bead 36 formed on handle 12. The spring urges valve 29 to close upon seat 28. When wire 30 is pulled upwardly along handle 12 the valve 29 is opened to permit detergent to ilow into duct 16. T o this end the socket 25 is supported on bottom 24 by a pair of spaced lugs 3'7 (only one of which is shown) the socket wall between the lugs being cut away to place the interior of the socket in communication with the tank .immediately above bottom 24. The detergent flows from the tank 10 into duct 16 as shown by the Iarrows in FIG. 2.

As shown chain dotted in FIG. 3 duct 16 has a T branch 3S. This receives the detergent from tank 10. The duct 15 has two spaced rows of holes v39 .whichfextend lengthwise of the duct. Each row of holes lies on opposite sides of rib 63, the arrangement being that a stream of detergent is directed down each side of plate 15 towards the flared edges 23 which discharge the detergent as liquid into the upper parts or root region of the bristles.

The wire 30 is connected to a linger piece'or trigger 40 (FIG. 6) which is immediately beneath a handle grip 41. When trigger 40 is pulled upwardly against the action of spring 34 the valve 29 is opened and detergent is discharged into duct 16 and thence on to plate 15 and into the bristles of brushes 14. The cover plate is so constructed and arranged as to direct the detergent away from roller 13 (so that the detergent can not come into contact therewith) and into the brushes 1.4. Consequently the roller 13 serves no function in agitating the detergent received from the tank thereby totproduce foam which is to be distributed on to the carpet. Instead the liquid detergent is delivered to the brushes and is agitated by the bristles to produce foam and the foam is spread on to and-replaceable e.g.;for cleaningl andrmaintenance.

roller'13 comprises a cylindrical body 440i sponge-like i the carpet by thebristles. The detergent is received by.

e trasse the bristles as a thin stream of liquid directed into they e i Referring to FG. 2; the duct le may incorporate a tube 567i, shown` chain dotted, the lower end of which passes through the `bottom wall of the duct and the upper end of which is near-the top most portion of duct 15. When duct 16 is full liquid is discharged therefrom through holes 39 and tube 56, When` valver29 is closed the inside of thevduct isy placed in Vcommunication withy atmosphere the bristles as the appliance is moved to and fro rigorously i ,g

agitates the detergent inthe brushesgand the detergent is. effectively converted into a foam and the foam is applied `to the carpet by the brushes with an effective .scrubbing y, action. The application lto the carpet of the detergent as a foam is assured because the liquid detergentis delivered to the root region of the bristle (i.e. furthest from the pile it is agitated by the deformingbristles. The'edge por- Y r through the tube '56 andfit is thereby ensured that liquid remaining within duct 16 after valve closure can readily escape through holes 39. Consequently liquidV detergent is not retained in the ductwith the possibility that it slow- 1y' escapes-afteriuse of the .appliance von handling the n surface) and as the liquid detergent flows down the bristles tions 23f'are relatively thinl and flexible (see FIG. 2)

and being in engagement with the brushesare-deformed by deformation of the bristles as explained above.. Con- Y sequently contact between the brushesand edges 23is continuously maintainedl in use. f

' Each cross member -21'of Vchass'istrame 19 is for-med l Ywith a pairof spaced, outwardly-directed'bosses 42 (see FlGS. v3 and 5). i Each bossy is received ina lholei'n an venclwall 18 ofv unit 11. .As indicated the unit 11 has a body member 17 of exible material. This may therefore:

' pervious skin.

appliance prior to storage in a cupboard or the like or whilestored away.

s vdescribed the roller may A'have a resilient surface (eg. of av spongy material such as cellular polyurethane) t but alternatively it may have a; hard surface, for Vinstance vo'farelatively rigid s'yntheticvresin. Again the Vroller may rhaveV a resilient ucore and ,either a hard surface-fsuch'as a; tube of rigid .synthetic resin-j-or an imv Againpthey elongated roller may be repia'edfrby twoor moreaxially spaced wheels `(havingy resilientV or hard surfaces) which vare equi-valent Vto"v the roller 13thatisprovidedyprimarily to'fsupport tank 10.

Thejreller may bel mounted in" rigidfbearings as described or inspringfloadedrbearings. The latter arrange- Y nient compensates'forrwear'of thebrfushes.

be' deformed .to enable Vthe bossesito be inserted int'ot-he holesythe end walls 18 springing `back sosthat the chassis VframeV 19 is effectively secured togunit 11. Y Y

The bosses 42 extend `to the inner side of the cross mem-. y

K bers 21 (see FlG. 3) 'andare hollow. Walls 22 of cover. Y Y

' V theduct 16 that the'detergentf discharged therefrom is plate 15" have integral pegs 43 to enter the hollow bossesf' the walls 22 of plate 15' kbeing eXible for this purposeelg.y

made of'a synthetic resin''rnat'erial-YV -ln this Way'thefplate is removably secured ,to the chassis frame 19.

It is Van advantage that roller` 13 is readily removable material (e.g. cellular rubberror plastic) havinga central VV y axial hole to receivel atubular core 45. A cap 46 is-tted The l to each end of the core. 'Cap 461 has anrintegral stub shaft47 whichis to be received in agjou'rnal bearing 48' in each cross member 21..'iThe bearing Scomprises an Instead of .a curved plate 15` to directliquid detergent intoeach brush Ytlf-lit "r'nay'be' arranged (according to an alternative arrangement) that aplate isupwa'rdly directed from-'one of the pairqofbrushesto overlie the-.roller with itsuppeivedge VThelatteris so disposed in `relation to deiiected away'fromfthe'rollerand flowing ydownwardly of the plate is Adirected towardsithe root endvregion of the bristles. f The bottom edgeof the plate may be curved as described with respectjto 1316,72. 'The ycurved vbot- .'r't'om yedge touches the r bristles sci"Y that 5 the detergent is directed into the inter-bristle spaces.'y vThe top edge of the plate may beVsirnilarlyV upwardly Vcurved to prevent We claim: L 1. An appliance vdetergent flowing over the edge to fall yupon the roller,

" forth comprising a tankfor liquid detergent,v a valve to wardly pressed and a pair of spaced liingersSl)depending from member 49. Each finger 50 hasfarib Slytheribs 5, y

confronting one another. The lingers 5t) aredeformable and resilient the arrangement being ,that when therstub shaft 47 is pushed upwardly' toward-sV the bearing varch 49 the fingers separate to allow the Vshaft to pass thef ribs. Similarly the' stub shafts may be readily pulledaway from the bearing arch. The operation of tting and removing the roller does not require deformation of the roller (and l its core) sothatdistortion 4of the rollerV does not result.

Thehandle grip is moulded from a synthetic 'resin' material and has a central web or tong'ufefSZ. The' upper end .Y

of handle 172 is'slotted5 as shown in FIG. y6 at 53,1to receive the Atip of the web r52 the sloty 53 being;V toothed to bite therweb and prevent withdrawal of the'webrand also' 4vto locate the handlein correct Vrelativeposition tothe tankl 10. Alternativelythe handle grip may be secured to the Y Vhandle'12 by andadhesive; a'webbeing formed fonethe inner wall ofthe handle griprto enter a slot'in handle 12 and providev a location forpositioning the `handle relativelyto'tank 10. Y Y' 4 I The handle gripfha's a slot k54 by which the appliance may be hung (up. Y

The trigger 40 ispreferably a mouldinghaving a rear Vface curved to tit the handle 1,2. YThe rear face has aT section block 55 to receive the wire 30. Theblock `55 is passed through thevlarger holegof a key-holev slot in against withdrawal by'gthe wire 30, spring 34 and lvalve Z9. Y

control. discharge ofliquid downwardly from said tank,

control meansjito adjustV said valve,gwalls downwardly directedfromsaid tank,v .roller means carried by way of- Ysaid walls to; support the appliancefor rolling movement Y over the carpet; atleast one elongated jbrush extending suhstantiallyfparallel With'theaiiisV of, said roller means and spaced from the cylindrical surface thereof, and guide means' to receive -liquid r'discharged "from saidl tank and direct such liquid out ofcontaetwith said lroller means Y, and onto said brush in the regiony of the bristle roots so that bristle agitation in use teams the'detergent prior l to itslapplicationviasaid brush tothe carpet.

2.*An appliance according.ltoclaimf 1 'wherein said guideV means presents an edgeportion in engagementwith f the bristles ofv saidbrush substantially along the whole vlength thereof and' in thefregion of the bristle-roots.

3. 'An' appliance "according tofclaim 2f "zvhereinl said edge portion lingerngagernent with the bristles" is flexible for deformation by vfle'xure ofmsaid brush so as toY maintain suchA engagementfin use. e y

v4. An appliance according to claim 1 wherein a brush extends'alongteach ofV theapair vof opposite sides ots'aid rollermeans, said guide' means comprises an inverted U-Section memberwhich'overlies saidv vroller means, Yeir- Y tendsver thel'ength Vthereoffand presents eachjlong edge Aportion thereofV in' engagementlwith theY bristles of one of the brushes-inf/theregion' of they bristle roots, and the liquidv` is `discharged downwardly Vsubstantially centrally handle 12 and engages behind the slot where it is retained Y onto suchguidernember; Y

5. Anappliance according to claim 4 wherein a frame 4'is removably clipped .to said walls downwardly directed l-forslciarnpcioin'g carpets' of the. type set i from said tank and carries said brushes and said roller means, and said guide member is removably clipped to said frame.

6. An appliance as claimed in claim 4 wherein the U-member has a lengthwise-extending rib directed upwardly towards the tank from the uppermost portion of the member and the liquid is directed onto said member as two streams, one on each side of said rib.

7. An appliance according to claim 6 comprising a duct secured beneath the tank and extending lengthwise of said U-member to receive liquid discharged from the tank, said duct having two rows of holes from which the liquid is directed onto said U-member as two streams of liquid, one stream on each side of said rib.

8. An appliance as claimed in claim 7 wherein said holes are in the floor of the duct and there is a tube upstanding from the oor within the duct to connect the interior of the duct to atmosphere.

9. An appliance for shampooing carpets of the type n set forth comprising a liquid tank, walls downwardly diricted from the tank to dene a hollow unit, an open rectangular frame removably secured to said walls, a roller removably mounted for rotation within said frame, a pair of elongated brushes secured to opposite sides of said rectangular frame and substantially parallel with the axis of the roller, a handle connected to said tank, a duct secured beneath said tank and extending lengthwise of the roller, said duct having downwardly-directed holes, a valve to control discharge of liquid from the tank into the duct, manual control means for opening the valve for discharge of liquid into the duct and an inverted U-section member (which is flexible and resilient) removably carried by said frame to overlie the roller with each long edge of said member in engagement with the brushes, said U-member being beneath said duct to receive liquid discharged downwardly through the holes in said duct and to direct the liquid away from the roller to between the bristles of each brush in the region of the bristle roots so that bristle agitation in use foams the detergent prior to its application via each brush to the carpet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,976,559 3/61 Yonkers et al. 15-532 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN APPLIANCE FOR SHAMPOOING CARPETS OF THE TYPE SET FORTH COMPRISING A TANK FOR LIQUID DETERGENT, A VALVE TO CONTROL DISCHARGE OF LIQUID DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID TANK CONTROL MEANS TO ADJUST SAID VALVE, WALLS DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED FROM SAID TANK, ROLLER MEANS CARRIED BY WAY OF SAID WALLS TO SUPPORT THE APPLIANCE FOR ROLLING MOVEMENT OVER THE CARPET, AT LEAST ONE ELONGATED BRUSH EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE AXIS OF SAID ROLLER MEANS AND SPACED FROM THE CYLINDRICAL SURFACE THEREOF, AND GUIDE MEANS TO RECEIVE LIQUID DISCHARGED FROM SAID TANK AND DIRECT SUCH LIQUID OUT OF CONTACT WITH SAID ROLLER MEANS AND ON TO SAID BRUSH IN THE REGION OF THE BRISTLE ROOTS SO THAT BRISTLE AGITATION IN USE FOAMS DETERGENT PRIOR TO ITS APPLICATIONM VIA SAID BRUSH TO THE CARPET. 